A Harsh Reality
by Baby Kitty
Summary: Tommy's having a very bad night. [complete]


Disclaimer – I don't own them.

Author's notes – Insomnia's a bitch of a thing. Set during Dino Thunder episode 33 'In Your Dreams'. In this episode Elsa and Mesagog gave the Rangers nightmares. Tommy's sucked, I'm giving him a better one.

Lawrence is Mercer's bodyguard. Pam Marks made him for another story we were doing, I liked him, Merc needs a bodyguard so he makes a fast and brief appearance.

Summary – Tommy has a hard night. (Not really slash, but can be interrupted either way, just depends on which way you want.)

-o-

A Harsh Reality

Tommy

-o-

"Let me go!" Struggling against the restrains, I hate this. Why me? Why do they always have to kidnap me? What'd I ever do to the evil alliance that they felt it necessary to single me out and kidnap me every few years? Well, aside the whole trying to destroy them thing. 

"You're in no position to give demands." Lowering his face to mine, he let's loose a hiss of decaying breath right in my face. Nice. Wonder if I have any mints in my pocket. "Now are you going to help me in freeing the gem or shall I just try and cut the knowledge from your brain?"

"I'll never help you." Not my most original line, but it's difficult to think when you're strapped to a table and the current creature of evil has his claws way to close to your crotch.

"Here you are master." Pushing a tray filled with shiny and sharp looking objects up to us, the Elsa gives me a wink. Okay honey, back off, I'm not really into that whole whips and chains scene.

"You know, I hear the best torture is the type involving money." Okay let's not pick up that scalpel. Pushing against the straps again, I have to get out of here. Come on, what are all those hours at the gym for if you can't break through a few leather straps? 

"One last chance." What the hell is that? Replacing the scalpel with some sort of spiked clamp, I think I better reconsider my heroic standing here. "Tell me how to free the gem." 

Groaning and just not in the mood, I give him what I hope is an annoyed look. Not too easy to do amidst the growing terror that's welling up in me. "It doesn't work like that. I'm the hero, you're the psychotic villain. You say give me what I want. I say no and then make a smart comment thus pissing you off further and putting myself in even more mortal danger. Read the script."

"There's that wit again." Have you never heard of personal space?

"Kat always thought I was funny." Ow! My neck is not a toy! Note to self, don't mention the exs around mutated and clearly possessive dinosaurs. I think I'm bleeding now. "I'm not helping you and when my Rangers get here and save me in the nick of time as is the usual occurrence, you're gonna pay for this. I blew up an island for god sakes, you think I don't hold grudges and make my enemies pay?"

"Pity you choose now to have a sudden burst of moral obligation." Ouch. Scalpel once more in hand, his free one is in my hair, holding my head still. "They never seemed to bother you before." Okay that did hurt, and I don't mean the hair pulling either.

"That wasn't my fault. It was an accident. You're an accident and I will find a way to beat you. I've defeated hundreds of monsters, all just as stupid and ugly as you. You think this is all some new, grand plan? Newsflash, this whole, I'm going to take over the world, all cower before me shit, it's been done before. Wanna know how it ended, why don't you go ask the hordes of evil villains that tried it before you. Oh wait, you can't because they're all dead! This is nothing. You're nothing." 

Pressing the tip of the blade to my forehead, he's clearly done playing. Now would be a real good time for a rescue. "Your arrogance wears my patience. I think it's time for a more hands on method." 

Cringing as the metal bites into my skin, I momentarily see black as the slice of pain hits. 

-ooooooo-

"No!" 

Tumbling off the bed and onto the floor, I barely avoid cracking my head into the night table. Pressing my hands against my face and letting my head hit the floor, I could go for a drink. Though that might be a more reasonable idea if I had anything to drink in the house.

"_Doctor O? Hey Doctor O you awake? Are you okay?" _ What timing. 

Lifting the bracelet to my mouth, I hit the communication button. Don't let me sound bad. They'll only worry and no good will come from that. Though it's nearly one in the morning according to my alarm clock, so apparently they're already worried about something to contact me at this hour. "I'm here."

"_We just wanted to make sure you're alright. We've been having some…weird dreams tonight and were wondering if it's just us or something more_." No Kira I think it's definitely something more. 

"No, I definitely think it's some…" Pausing and touching the scar just about my left temple, I hold back the urge to curse that monster. He'd come so close. If the kids hadn't broken in when they did he would have sliced me open. And who knows what would have happened after that. 

"_Doctor O? You still there_?" Sighing at the anxiety in her voice, I shake myself out of my heavy thoughts. Too early in the day for such sad and deep thoughts. 

"Yeah, I'm here. Um, look, bad dreams happen. They're just your subconscious's way of dealing with things and we've all been stressed out lately. You're all awake now?" When I hear three responses of 'yes', I feel a bit better. "What about Trent?"

"_We contacted him, told him not to go to sleep and he said it wouldn't be a problem. I think he's going to spend the night at the Cyber Café studying and doing his reports_." Well, one less to worry about then.

"Okay, maybe you guys should just watch some TV or something for a few hours. I don't think these bad dreams are anything to really worry about, but if you want to stay up I won't get on you in class tomorrow for being a bit out of it." 

"_Alright. What are you going to do_?" Nosey boy. It must be a Red Ranger trait, they're always so nosey about everything. Even I got that way during my time as a Zeo Ranger. 

"Go back to sleep. There's nothing to dreams, guys. Don't let them get to you okay."

-oooooooo- 

(15 min later, Mercer estate…) 

"Tommy?" Rubbing his eyes and looking me over, the man has to take more then a moment to find his voice again. "Kid what are you doing here?" Still calls me kid. Never mind I'm twenty seven, have a job, and own a house, nope, always with the kid thing. This is exactly why I didn't like him hanging around 'protecting' me when I used to live here. Like I needed protection. Well, not counting from his boss.

Not really wanting to go too into the reason behind my visit, I give the bodyguard a shrug. "I'm twenty seven, Lawrence. That's hardly a kid."

"You'll always be a kid to me." Great. Ruffling my sleep mussed hair, he is just asking for me to beat him up isn't he. "Especially when you show up at one in the morning wearing pajamas." I probably should have changed. 

"They're not pajamas; they're workout pants and a t-shirt." I've had a hard night here, I don't even know why I came here, just cut me some slack.

Maybe seeing that I'm not really in the mood to have a banter session, he softens a bit. "What are you doing here? It's way too late for this to be a school related visit concerning the other kid." Not sure I like Trent being referred to as 'the other kid' anymore then I like being considered the first one. 

"I…I don't know." Running a hand through my hair, I shouldn't have come here. I mean I tell the kids not to be bothered by some meaningless nightmares and here I am driving across town because of mine. "I just had a really bad night and…I have to see him."

Looking more then a little sympathetic now, he shakes his head. You're not going to help me out here are you? "I'm not supposed to let you on the property." Come on, when did you follow his orders where I was concerned? Help me out here, I'm not doing well, man. "He's just trying to protect you. I know it doesn't seem like it, but…"

"I don't care! Okay I don't care about rules, or duty, or protecting whoever right now. I just, I have to see him. Just this once. I have to know he's…I have to know he's alright." Is that really why I came here? To see if he's still holding onto sanity, or to try and keep a grip on my own. It's too early for this, but damn it I'll bet anything it's his fault. For all of us to have nightmares on the same night, it reeks of some lame evil plan. 

"Tommy." Reaching out to put a calming hand on my arm, he's trying to help I know, but I don't want his help right now. I don't need him to protect me, I just need him to do me one favor and let me in. 

"It's alright, let him in." Well if it isn't the evil genius himself. Standing in the entranceway and looking at us with a rather guarded expression, he doesn't look like he's gotten too much sleep either. Good.

Looking between us and finally shaking his head, Lawrence gives my shoulder a parting squeeze before turning to go. "It was good to see you again, Tommy." Heading back to where he's supposed to be tonight, he still seems leery to leave us alone. Wonder who he's more afraid for, me or his boss. 

Moving inside and closing the door behind me, I think I should have planned this out a little better. "Hi." Smooth. 

"This is a surprise." Not moving from his spot, he looks me over for more then a minute, eyes finally coming to linger on the scar his alter ego gave me. Was that a flinch? We feeling a bit bad for that, among other things? Good. You have no idea how hard that was to explain away the next day at school. Like anyone really believed I fell off the bed and sliced my head open on the night table. 

"Yeah well I'm full of um." Good, be strong. You're the leader of the Power Rangers. You're in control. You're showing up at the man's house at one in the morning wearing your pajamas. 

Turning and apparently expecting me to follow him, he makes his way back to the main room. Same old Mercer. "What's happened, Thomas?" Not even pausing as he asks, we soon enter his study and he finally gives me a chance to stop and breath. "I doubt you'd be here unless something rather important has occurred." 

"Bad night." 

Still refusing to face me, he moves to the bar, pouring himself what I'll guess is a glass of scotch. He always liked scotch. "Yes, well, I've been having a few of those myself." You don't say.

Fringing surprise, I give him what I hope is an innocent look. "Oh?"

Finally turning and offering me the drink, most likely out of hospitality, he seems less then surprised when I turn it down. "I don't suppose you know where my son is." 

"Last I saw, studying at the café." Dropping down onto the leather couch, I barely hold in a laugh as the noise makes him cringe. "It's not very fair you know." 

"What?"

"I asked you for a puppy for two years and you said no, it'd be too much work and trouble, but the second I'm gone you get to take in a kid." 

Sighing and apparently not in the mood for my humor tonight, he downs his drink quickly before going to pour a second. Well second since I've been here, who knows how many total for the night. "I didn't go to the pound and pick one out, Thomas. He was more or less dropped into my lap if you hadn't heard." I did, no need to snap. "Besides, he was already housetrained, a puppy isn't." Be careful you actually make a joke and people might mistake you for human there Merc. 

"I heard. He told me how you took him in after his folks died. He thinks a lot of you." Which is a hard thing to do when I'm almost positive he knows what you are. I haven't called the kid on it yet, because I'm not sure I want to know, but I'm almost certain he's aware his dad and Mesagog are one in the same. 

Looking uncomfortable or maybe just guilty, he turns back to the window. "Yes well, he's a good kid. Shows a lot of potential." But? "He's a lot like you." Nice. 

"Is that why you took him in?" Maybe I will have a drink. 

"It's late, Thomas. We both have work in the morning and as I said earlier I've had little rest as of late. What is it you wanted to see me about?" Don't get snappy with me, you're the one that brought Trent up to begin with, I just went with the topic. 

"I just wanted to see if you were alright. Every time I see you you look sicker. Trent's worried constantly about you and think we both know why. I just, I wanted to know if you were making any progress getting better."

"I'd rather not discuss this, Thomas. It's late, I'm tired, and that's not a topic I wish to go into, especially with you. So if there's nothing else you came to talk about then-" 

"Would you have killed me that day? If the kids hadn't shown up, would you have let him slice me open?" Well you didn't give me a choice. Like hell if I'm going to be dismissed like one of the help. I tried to start off easier, but you wouldn't have it so there you go, answer the real question.

"Well than." Yeah. "Don't suppose I could answer your first inquiry instead?" 

"Sorry, that's what you get when you try to be stubborn." 

Rubbing his temples and looking torn between yelling at me and collapsing, he really is just hanging on by a thread these days. "I don't know. I'm sorry, I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but it's true. He's so much stronger now and I don't know if I could have stopped him." Pausing, he meets my gaze head on. "Which is why you need to stay away."

"Trent lives with you, damn it! If his control is so strong then why haven't you sent him away? I would take him in you know! I'd protect him. I don't, I don't understand your logic here." Sometimes I think I understand my own even less. 

Throwing his glass against nearest wall, he's on me in a flash. "Because he doesn't want Trent!" Grabbing and pinning me to the wall before I can react, he's much too fast. He's slipping now and here I am all alone with him as it happens. 

"M-Merc." 

"Don't you get it?" Slamming me sharply against the plaster, he's struggling to keep himself here and failing miserably. God my head, so needed a concussion. "You are the last thing keeping me from losing complete control. You're keeping him from taking over what little bit of humanity I have left." You sure about that, I think I have a gapping head wound now that says otherwise. 

"Then let me help." Do I morph? Oh god, his teeth are not that sharp under normal circumstances. This is bad, very bad. "Anton please let me help you! I-I can find a cure, Hayley can-"

Throwing me clear across the room with no more effort then he'd used on the glass, he's testing my patience. "You can't help." Bracing himself against his desk, I can see the change taking place. Shit, this is bad. Very, very bad. "Get out of here, Thomas." And do what? Live with the guilt of letting you eat Lawrence? Kill Trent when he comes home? Doesn't work like that. 

Climbing unsteadily to my feet, maybe I can pull him back. Maybe if I help him, like Jase tried to help me back when we were kids…wait, that failed and I nearly killed him. Right, plan B then. "But-"

"Go!" 

Backing up as clawed hands slam into the wooden desk and splinter it, I think now might not be the time to argue with him. Suddenly catching my foot on a throw rub and tumbling back, I barely avoid cracking my head on the floor. Looking back to the desk and feeling the air leave my lungs, he's gone. "Merc?" This is bad. "Mercer?"

As a searing pain rips through my arm, I loose my grip on the floor and am on my back before I know it. "Try again." Staring up at the fully formed Mesagog, I think it's really time to get going now. Though that'd be easier had he not ripped a chunk my shoulder out.

"N-No." 

Pinning me down, he smiles as a hand is pressed into the gapping wound that used to be my shoulder, making me let out an ear shattering scream. "Yesssss."

-oooooooo-

"No!" 

Tumbling off the bed and onto the floor, I press my hands against my face and let my head hit the floor. 

"_Doctor O? Hey Doctor O you awake? Are you okay?_" No. No, I'm really not. Looking down at my shoulder, I stare numbly at the fresh claw marks marring it. 

The End


End file.
